New Zealand bowling speedster Adam Milne hailed the growth of accessibility in cricket thanks to game-changing initiatives across England and Wales.
The 32-year-old, who kicked off his The Hundred campaign with Birmingham Phoenix this month, believes the growth of cricket among communities will benefit generations across all levels of the sport.
Milne attended a Crick-Fit session at GoodMayes Park in Ilford, a non-turf pitch installed in 2023 as part of KP Snacks’ commitment to installing and refurbishing 100 pitches over the next three years, focussing on cities and urban areas.
Through their Everyone In campaign, KP Snacks are on a mission to inspire and enable more families and communities to get active through cricket and create more opportunities for people to lead a healthier lifestyle through the sport.
Milne said: “It’s ultimately the goal of cricket to have young fans and families involved.
“The more young people involved in cricket the better so it’s exciting to see so many here today.
“You want to see as many people from as many different backgrounds playing cricket.
“It’s great to see so many diverse cultures and families that are here, getting involved in the programme.
“Accessibility to cricket pitches has stopped people from being in the game so to have this one here, and 99 others being installed, it’s a great initiative from KP Snacks.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing how that evolves over time and how many families and kids can get involved in cricket.”
The initiative will have a significant impact on local communities, offering greater access to sport for more people.
It reflects KP Snacks’ commitment to investing in local communities to promote healthier lifestyles by facilitating access to sports and encouraging families to become more physically active.
Last year, 36 pitches went live and there are a further 35 pitches being installed this summer across the country across Bristol, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Wigan.
KP Snacks marketing manager Emma Smith said: “As the Official Team Partner of The Hundred, we are on a mission to inspire and enable more families and communities to get active and involved with cricket.
“We hope these pitches will create new opportunities for local communities to access high-quality cricket facilities in park and recreation grounds and become active through the sport of cricket.
“Today we wanted to show how fun cricket by creating a cricket-themed workout using exercises based on common movements in cricket as an introduction to some of the skills required to play the sport.”
KP Snacks is the Official Team Partner of The Hundred. Through their Everyone In campaign, they are on a mission to inspire and enable more families & communities to get more active through cricket and create more opportunities for people to get involved and have a healthier lifestyle through the sport. To find your nearest pitch, head to www.everyonein.co.uk
